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A cat and a dog are both domesticated animals, even though they do not belong to the same family or species. The cat belongs to the feline family, while the dog belongs to the canine family. There are various similarities, as well as differences, between the cat and the dog. One of the similarities is that both animals are domestic and belong to the same kingdom and division (Horwitz, 2001). The differences between the cat and the dog can be analyzed in terms of behavior, physical appearance, biological composition, nature and character among others.

Similarities

The dogs and the cats are domesticated mammals with fur or hairs, teeth and four legs. These two pets were originally belonging to the carnivore order. The two animals are good friends of human beings, so they were easily domesticated. It is easy to train these pets; however it is easier to train the dogs to perform the basic commands. The two pets require love and affection from their owners. Both pets rely on flesh and cereals for food, give birth to multiple offspring at once and suckle their younger ones.

Differences

Despite the similarities mentioned above, there are many differences between the cat and the dog. First of all, the dogs are more affectionate. They like playing around with people trying to please them, unlike the cats, which rarely play with people; even if they do, it is just for pleasing themselves. While the dog can wag its tail, or even the whole body, to show its love for the master, a cat can only show its love by walking closer and allow people to scratch behind its ears (Asp, 2005). This attribute of dogs makes it easy for man to train them to obey and remember the basic commands.

It is very important to note that despite the fact that both animals are domesticated, cats are lone rangers while dogs are pack animals. This means that while the cat enjoys walking alone, the dog likes walking in the company of other dogs. This attribute contributes towards the level of interaction between the two animals. The dog is, therefore, considered an animal of higher social class, and it is friendly to other dogs.

We can use the sound produced by these two animals as the distinction between them. It is beyond reasonable doubt that the two pets produce different sounds. The dogs bark, woof and growl, while the cats usually meow. Any person who has ever domesticated these pets can easily distinguish the cat from the dog by their sounds, without seeing them. It is also important to note that the sound produced by the dog is of higher intensity compared to that of the cat.

The dogs need a lot of space, because most of them are huge and like playing with each other, while the cats are completely satisfied with little space. The dogs are usually more playful compared to cats, which are more quiet and slowly. The other fact is that the dogs of special species can even be used in hunting or as a workforce and be very helpful for people. The cats are considered to be a little bit lazy and selfish animals.

The dogs are very dependent on human beings unlike the cats which are more independent. Cats are good hunters of birds, rats and mice for food but they also depend on human beings who feed them. It is important to note a very interesting fact that female cats would hunt and bring food to the kittens apart from breast feeding, while female dogs only breast feed their puppies (Eckholm, 2007). Despite the fact that the dogs can also hunt by chasing the prey, they need people to take care of them.

The dogs are very alert and usually feel happy to be woken by their masters, while the cats do not like being troubled, and especially, woken up. This alert character of the dogs makes them good friends and bodyguards, especially at night since they scare away intruders, while the cats can only run away for their safety.

The dogs can tolerate lack of food for much longer period than the cats, since dogs are better at using their fat reserves. The cats, on the other hand, have to be fed regularly, because their fat reserves are not burnt efficiently and cannot be used as a source of energy; this leads to the process of breaking down of non-fatty tissues for energy, when there is not enough food for the cat. This action puts the liver of the cat at risk of the disease called hepatic lipidosis.

Conclusion

The dogs and the cats are domesticated mammals of the carnivore order. Both animals are good friends of man, despite of the fact that these two animals differ in many ways. The dogs can easily scare intruders away, while the cats are not considered to be good bodyguards. The dogs are more friendly and affectionate compared to cats. Cats are more independent compared to dogs which highly depend on people who take care of them. The cats are usually happy with little space, while the dogs need a lot of space to run around and play. The dogs are pack animals since they enjoy the company of other dogs, while the cats are lone rangers. The dogs and the cats differ greatly from each other in terms of behavior, nature, physical appearance and even character.